Corbin Gross
2
After Effects Coins
2
COW Coins
Forum Replies Created
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I’m not a seasoned vet like some of these guys, but I find it works ok to have the mic stick out just a tiny bit. It doesn’t always work, but I had a guy in the studio yesterday with a dark blue button-up shirt with a button down collar. I had the tip of the mic sticking out from the fold of his collar just a little, and you couldn’t see it on the video. It was taped in there with some gaff tape and the cord was pinned to the back of his collar.
I’m thinking with theater there’s lots of shadows, right? Maybe you can hide the visible part of the mic in a shadow.
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
I’m an in-house cubicle editor too, I feel your pain.
Here’s my input. I have a set of M-Audio DX4s on my desk. Not pro monitors of course, but they’ll do. I have a pretty decent relationship with the people around me and I only have to wear my headphones about 20% of the time.
Basically I’ll do most of my editing at a reasonable office level, then listen with the headphones on for critical things that need too much volume for sharing.
You might also request that you occupy a cubicle at the edge or in a corner so as to disturb as few people as possible. Also, if you get your monitors up to ear level you really won’t need much volume to be able to hear what you’re doing most of the time.
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
Of course, if you were planning to paint the building twice a week and you were only going to have 48hrs notice (tougher to find a good painter who’s not already booked) and the paint color selection was going to get changed 4-5 times before the painting’s done… Just to tweak the metaphor a little. My first couple of paint jobs had lots of bubbles and drips, but after four years of practice, I’m now starting to question the color choices of the stuff we hire out.
Just to defend in-house production, there is value in having somebody with their own equipment on staff. For us, the on camera talent is often upper level management so you get jerked around all day waiting for them to have time to record. That would cost a fortune to have a freelance crew sitting around for 4hrs. I find it helps to have an integral knowledge of the company and products so that I can edit down the crazy ramblings of management to something the viewer can easily swallow. Also, I’m able to work very closely with the rest of the creative services department to make sure all that I do is on brand and cohesive with our other messaging.
As far as equipment, “take only what you need to survive.” A bare bones sort of basic setup leaves money for editing equipment and we rent or hire for needs like dollies and extra mics. I’m not an equipment expert but here’s my best attempt:
2x DSLRs (whatever you like to shoot on, with zoom lenses [don’t zoom whilst shooting])
1 basic set of sticks and a basic hand held rig for B-roll (Basic, not crappy)
2X wired lav mics, 1 wireless, a shotgun and one of them Zoom recording things. I can’t think of the model numbers off hand, but my wireds are ATs and my wireless is a Senheiser (sp, I know).
Believe it or not, my lighting is all shoplights and DIY flourscent fixtures. The real trick is learning how to modify your lights anyway, using foam core, screens, whatever to make it attractive. I’m a still photographer by trade so I had lighting experience moving in to this.
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
Oh, and another thing. Do you think the prompter can be too big?
Say I can get the whopper, sure I can shoot somebody 30 feet away. But will that be too big when I need shoot somebody addressing from their 8×12 office?
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
You know, most of the time I am using in-house talent. They’re actually pretty good though. It’s not like we just get the prettiest blonde girl in the office, put on too much makeup and hope nobody’s looking at the product. And many of the videos we do are department heads or the owners addressing internally. That’s never going to look good but at least they’ll be looking at the camera. I can never get enough handle, they’re always looking back at the script on the last word. And paper shuffling!
Anyway. How much does one of these things weigh? I’m just looking at new tripods and want to make sure I don’t get something that just barely holds up the camera/prompter combo.
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
Cool, so I’ll just try it a few different ways with some test videos and see what has the best final product. It’s good to know that it’s not black and white, I’ll fiddle around with it a little.
And the shoot-1080-edit-720 is what I’ve been doing, so it’s good to hear that’s an acceptable workflow. I’m kind of self taught, so I always think I’m doing it the wrong way.
Thanks a lot for the help.
So is there somewhere I can get feedback on some of these videos? Nobody I work with really knows quality. The people needed for approval on a project are looking more for content than good shooting/editing/titling and whatever. I’d love to have some input as to how these things look from somebody not vested in the actually product being explained/sold. Could I just paste a link when I finish something and get some advice from folks that have been doing this longer than me?
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
So you’re saying maybe that it’s not so bad to have a little sharpening in camera? I definitely had over-sharpened files before, but maybe something more mild would look good.
Also, My usual work flow is to shot in 1080 60i and deliver in something more like 720 24p. So the shrink of the footage helps a little to.
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
Well, if it’s good enough for Hollywood than it’s good enough for me.
I’m on Premiere though, do you guys know of a Premiere-on-Mac compatible plugin with similar features?
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
I didn’t realize that’s a different thing. I will check it out.
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing -
Hmmm… I have to admit to using the Portrait Pro plugin in Ps quite often. I’m going to go ahead and be skeptical of this thing though.
I am impressed however with the contemporary quality of the 4:3 interlaced clip they’re using to advertize their software.
Corbin Gross
Photo/Video
SANMAR
Marketing